Monday, May 11, 2009

Snow White and Rose Red


by Ravenel, Christian, Erykah, Eva, and Sam


Once upon a time there lived a poor widow with her two daughters. In front of her cottage there were two rose bushes. One had white roses and one had red roses. Her daughters reminded her of the rose bushes, so she named them Snow White and Rose Red.

One cold winter night, they heard a knock at the door. Rose Red ran to the door and opened it. To her surprise, there was not a man knocking, but rather a large shaggy bear.

The girls were afraid, but their mother urged them to invite the bear in. She could see he was wet and cold. “Lie by the fire,” she insisted. He lay down on the hearth and warmed himself by the fire. The girls lost their fear and approached him playfully.

When spring came, the shaggy bear announced that he was leaving. “I must leave now to guard my treasure from gnomes. As the world thaws, their mischief increases.”

The bear caught his fur on the latch and in the tear, Snow White thought she spied the shimmer of gold. With the slam of the door, the bear trotted off and was soon out of sight. Snow White watched through her tears until the bear vanished into the woods.

The next morning after Snow White lit the fire, their mother instructed them to pick some flowers in the woods for their cottage. In the forest, they encountered a gnome three different times. Each time they tried to help him and each time he made way with his treasure.

The third time a bear loped out of the woods and revealed he was not a bear at all, but rather a handsome prince. The treasure was his, and his heart belonged to Snow White. Snow White married the prince and Rose Red married his brother, and they lived happily ever after in a castle with two rose bushes: one red and one white.

Monday, April 20, 2009

We the Children Of Room 204

Check out this piece of Performance Art that shows what we know!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

After Walt Whitman

We read Walt Whitman today and were inspired to write our own poems.
Click here for the results.


from Song of Myself (from section 1)
By Walt Whitman

I celebrate myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to
You.

I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease… observing a spear of
Summer grass.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

After W.B. Yeats

We read William Butler Yeats today and were inspired to write our 0wn poetry. Click here for the results! We love comments!

Who Goes With Fergus?
William Butler Yeats

Who will go drive with Fergus now,
And pierce the deep wood's woven shade,
And dance upon the level shore?
Young man, lift up your russet brow,
And lift your tender eyelids, maid,
And brood on hopes and fear no more.
And no more turn aside and brood
Upon love's bitter mystery;
For Fergus rules the brazen cars,
And rules the shadows of the wood,
And the white breast of the dim sea
And all dishevelled wandering stars.

Friday, April 3, 2009

New National Poetry Month Poster


Okay... I admit it. I liked last year's poster better. I am beginning to like the poster for 2009. "Do I Dare Disturb the Universe?" is a line from a poem by T.S. Eliot. A fun thing to do is to take a line from a favorite poet and write your own poem.

Do I Dare Disturb the Universe?

"Do I dare disturb the universe?"
Enhance it?
Chance it?
Amplify and beautify?
Chase and embrace
all that I can see
When I stop to read
Poetry?

Now you try it. Here is another line from the same poem:
"Do I Dare Eat a Peach?"

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Happy Birthday Hans Christian Andersen!



Hans Christian Anderson was born in Denmark on April 2, 1805. His father was a shoemaker and died while Hans Christian Andersen was still quite young. He went to school for children who were very poor. When he was still quite young, he went to a big city in Demark to find work. He was a singer and a dancer and an actor and a playwright. Oh, and he wrote stories on the side... just for fun.
Those stories are what he is remembered best for today. He considered himself ugly in a world of swans (like an ugly duckling); he often felt like he was on the outside looking in (like a match girl); he felt lonely in his willingness to tell the truth about what he saw (The Emperor's New Clothes).
To honor him today, we read The Emperor's New Clothes. We play a game in our class called "No Answers, Just Questions." Click here to see the questions we came up with.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Shakespeare is Letter Perfect!

We have had a wonderful time getting to know William Shakespeare and the characters he created in The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Macbeth. We have also been learning about letters, voice, and punctuation. It has been fun! Where there's 'Will,' there's a way! Enjoy reading these letters.


As Scribed by Ravenel:
Dear Prospero,
Meet me in the woods. Leave Miranda with Ferdinand and let them go into the woods by themselves and roam around for awhile while we talk. I was just thinking that Miranda and Ferdinand might get married. I'm just guessing.
Love,
Ariel

Dear Ariel,
I was thinking so, also, about Miranda and Ferdinand. I'm writing with the wind blowing in my face. "I knew I loved him as soon as I gazed into his eyes," she said to me, "Thank you for letting me meet Ferdinand." That's what she said.
Tomorrow, I'll meet you.

As Scribed by Kenan:

Dear Prospero,
I have brought Ferdinand to you. I have caused your brother Antonio and the King of Naples misery and have turned myself into a pack of wolves and chased them to you. I hope you appreciate what I've done.


Your Trusty Sprite,
Ariel

Dear Ariel,
Thank you for bringing Ferdinand to me and causing Antonio and the King of Naples misery and for chasing them to me. Because of all that, I grant you your freedom.
Yours Truly,
Prospero

As Scribed By Cece Dauer

Dear Sprites,

I....I mean...we have been freed (except for Caliban). Tomorrow we must meet at the mushroom house. I will bring a wolf skin canvas and a moss blanket and a carpet. Bring berries, fruits, water, bread, wood, and more skins if you have any (don't bring your own doors).

I have a bag of orange berries that we could use to stain the canvas. Please bring wood so we can make a boat. I might bring extra berries for our boat ride. Oh, there are some of Prospero's magic books behind the tree with the violet scratch.

Love,

Ariel



As Scribed by John
Dear Antonio,
I think... I know you should apologize to me! You pushed me AND my own helpless daughter, making it worse, into the perilous, merciless sea. You will come to the Middle Isle. You will know my wrath. I hope you understand my calling... my warning of a tempest.
Sincerely,
Prospero
P.S. Seriously, I will let you forever remember my wrath if you do not restore my place as the Duke of Milan.



As Scribed by Thomas::

Dear Lady Macbeth,
We will kill the king tonight and put the blood on the guards and then you will be the queen and I will be the king. Then we will be rich. And powerful. We will have everything we want forever, and ever, and ever, and ever. I'll see you at the castle tonight. Your face is as white as snow. You are so sweet. And bad. And sweet. We will be the baddest and goodest king and queen.
Love,
Macbeth

As Scribed by James:

Dear Lady Macbeth,
These three ugly witches said I could be king! King of Scotland!

Love,
Macbeth


Dear Macbeth,
The way to be king of Scotland is you got to kill the king Scotland. Come home right away.

Love,

Lady Macbeth


Dear Lady Macbeth,
He is family to me. I will not kill him.

Sincerely,
Macbeth

Dear Macbeth,

You will have to, that is the only way for you to be king of Scotland
Lady Macbeth

As Scribed by Kemonte:

From the Journal of Banquo:

I was riding my horse with Macbeth. I was riding my horse when I saw the witches. It was like I was in a dream, no... it was like I was dead when I saw them. I saw King Duncan dead. I was surprised to see this. Macbeth is wrong about all of this. He is so rude.

As Scribed by Josie:

Dear Oberon,
O my gosh! I fell in love with a human soul! Well, I think I did or it was a dream. It must have been a dream, because I was caught in a fog and woke up from some kind of... I don't know, but it seemed like a dream. The human might have been part ass. I think the fog was real. I n my dream, I ordered my servants to make a flower crown. O and how his singing was lovely. He was so handsome, but it was only a dream.
Love,

Titania

P.S. I hope on my next dream I meet him again, and shrink him to fairy size.

Dear Titania,
He must have been in a dream for there is no more handsome man than I. I will make you have the dream again if you describe him.
Love,

Oberon

As Scribed by Arianna

Dear Helena,
I hope your life with Demetrius is good. I am going to a ROYAL ball! I have to get my to get my hair done and get a new dress. I am allowed to bring one guest and his or her escort. I am inviting you and Demetrius. Do you want to go? The ballis Friday at 7:00 PM. It ends at ll:00 PM. Please respond by Thursday.
Sincerely,
Hermia


Dear Hermia,
I would love to go to the ball. You are very sweet for asking me. Demitrius would love to go, too. Is Lysander going? You are my best friend. I am starting my own dress shop. I want to know if you could help me run it?
Sincerely,
Helena



As Scribed by Lenny
Dear Hermia,
I have a plan. we shall flee to the forest, get married, and run away from your father. Do not tell anyone. Please write back.
Lysander

Dear Lysander,
When shall we run away? And I'm sorry, but I told Helena we are going to the forest, but don't you fret. She promised not to tell anyone.
Hermia

Dear Hermia,
I think our escape should be at the crack of dawn, so you father does not lay eyes upon us. Please hurry.
Lysander

Dear Diary,
The mist swirled around us. The clashing of swords banged together. Two men. Two women. Fighting. It began to get quiet. Our eyelids drooped. We fell asleep and awoke in the morn. Two couples. Happy. Loving. Together. It is love.
Hermia

As Scribed by Keyvonna

Dear Lysander,
I thought you were nice when I saw you, When I saw you I thought, "Whew!" But I was too shy. I am running in the woods and I am scared. Help me. Please save me, Lysander. I'm walking, I'm walking. Will I see you?
Hermia

Dear Helena,
Now I am so happy that you like me. I am on my way back to you, so don't walk anymore. If you walk deeper in the woods, you'll never get out. So stop, OK? I don't want to be in the woods. I ususally stay out of the woods. Now where am I?
Worried,
Lysander

As Scribed by Silas
Dear Nick,
You freaked us out! When you came into the clearing, Brrrrrr. It was so freaky! The reason everyone ran was because you had the head of an ass. Please don't turn into donkey-man again! When that happened it ... it just sent a chill down my back.
Sincerely,
Peter